Looking Forward

Ok. So I talked to my doctor today and I am pretty sure I am going to have my lap band taken out and the sleeve done on Monday!! I am soo nervous and excited. I have been wanting this for so long and have been working really hard to make this happen but now I am soo scared! Any advice or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. This is a little last minute due to insurance problems and such so now that it is really here I am trying to stay calm. Reading everyone's post on here help me out a lot and have given me a lot of insight. So any more insight would be greatly appreciated.

Dr. Jossart I am thinking about getting a revision to the sleeve from the lap band. I have a question about the long term effects of the sleeve. I wanted to know if after you have part of you stomach cut out and are left with the smaller stomach if it is possible long term out to stretch the stomach to the point of something bad happening to it (like busting open). I just want to know if there could be any major problems long term with having cut out part of the stomach and then stapling it back together. Are there any foods that you can't eat after the procedure that can cause harm as well. I appreciate the help and any information you can give me. Thank you

Hey. I have been reading posts on the board for a while now, but decided to write now and get some advice from people who have had this procedure done. I got the lap band about 3 years ago. At first I had pretty good success with it, but then started to have problems and couldn't keep any food down and was throwing up all the time. I went back to the doctor and got some Fluid taken out and an upper GI. The band was too tight and causing some prolapse. I went back for another upper GI and it had gotten better since the doctor took some out but then I could eat more food so he put a little back in. To make a long story short I cannot seem to find that happy medium with my band to be able to loose weight without puking my guts up every time i eat food. Therefore my docotor told me about the sleeve, so I went home and researched it. I found out that this was something that I could possibly do and be happy with that wasn't as involved as the gastric bypass. I talked to my mom and she was all for it, so we decided to go back to the doctor and tell him we wanted to do it. One problem was that because I am still in school and under my dads insurance i needed to do it this summer while i had a break and before I lost my insurance. Well we submitted to insurance company and they approved removing the band but denied the sleeve. Long story short again it has been a big mess with everything and we did an appeal but they held the original decision. I am at a loss as of now of what to do. I really want and think I need the surgery but I really don't have the money to do this, plus there is a small part of me thats scared to have the surgery so that doesn't help the process. Another problem is that I pretty much have to have the surgery this coming MOnday if I am gonna to do it because I have an externship starting in June and then school starts again. Reading the posts on this board have given me lots of information and inspiration. I would be grateful for any wisdom or advice. I am so frustrated with all of this and I am starting to gain some weight back which kills me even more. I don't think I can bear to gain back the weight I lost from the band even though it wasn't much about 30/40 pounds.

Thanks for all of the input. I don't really know why the insurance company won't pay for the surgery, they say its not medically necessary. I could appeal again but I am running out of time to be able to do the procedure and have enough recovery time. My option right now that I am looking into is to pay for the sleeve and get the insurance company to pay for the removal. I am now looking into the costs of doing this, so I guess we will see what happens. Does any happen to know if at all possible, if I go ahead and do the surgery and then keep trying to get the insurance to pay for the sleeve. I don't know if this is even a possibility that when I have the surgery if my doctor can document that the band was causing problems so that the insurance company will then pay. Just curious if any one knows if they would even consider that. Thanks for the input and encouragment. I will let everyone know what happens. I really want to do this surgery because i think it is best even though I am scared of actually doing the procedure. I have this nagging feeling that I have to get this band out of my body!

Hey. My name is Nikki. I have the lap band as of now, but I am trying to get a revision to the sleeve since I am having problems with my lap band (If my insurance company will stop being a pain. haha). My biggest problem right now that I would like answered if anyone can help is that I am having really bad port pain. It just all of a sudden hit me tonight and is causing really bad pain but I am not sure why. I have had discomfort with my port before but never this bad. I was wondering if anyone knew why this could be happening and if it could mean anything significant about a potential problem. I would appreciate any help since of course this would happen on a weekend when my doctors office is closed. :thumbup1: